by Berry Gordy
The Motown Story… A Fairy Tale by Buz Kohan, © 1983 Buz Kohan. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
BOURNE CO. & LARRY SPIER, INC.
Excerpt from “ME AND MY SHADOW,” by Dave Dreyer, Al Jolson and Billy Rose, © 1927 Bourne Co., Larry Spier, Inc., New York & Memory Lane Music Ltd., London. Copyright renewed 1954. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
JOBETE MUSIC COMPANY, INC.
Lyrics or excerpts of lyrics from the following songs reprinted by permission. All rights reserved:
“AIN’T TOO PROUD TO BEG” by Norman Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr., © 1966 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“ALL IN LOVE IS FAIR” by Stevie Wonder, © 1973 Jobete Music Co., Inc. & Black Bull Music, Inc.
“BABY LOVE” by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr., © 1964 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“BAD GIRL” by William Robinson and Berry Gordy, © 1959 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“BALL OF CONFUSION (THAT’S WHAT THE WORLD IS TODAY)” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, © 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“BYE BYE BABY” by Mary Wells, © 1960 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“CLOUD NINE” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, © 1968 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“DANCING IN THE STREET” by William Stevenson, Marvin Gaye and Ivy Joe Hunter, © 1964 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“DID YOU KNOW (BERRY’S THEME)” by William Robinson, © 1994 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“DO YOU LOVE ME” by Berry Gordy, © 1962 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“EVERYONE WAS THERE” by Robert Gordy and Berry Gordy © 1994 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“FINGERTIPS Pt. 2” by Clarence Paul and Henry Cosby, © 1963 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“GOT A JOB” by William Robinson, Berry Gordy and Tyran Carlo, © 1958 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH)” by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr., © 1965 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“I HEAR A SYMPHONY” by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr., © 1965 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“I’LL BE THERE” by Willie Hutch, Berry Gordy, Hal Davis and Bob West, © 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“I’LL TRY SOMETHING NEW” by William Robinson, © 1961 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“JOY” by Berry Gordy, © 1994 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“LET GORDY BE YOUR PRINTER, TOO” by Berry Gordy, © 1994 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“LET’S GET IT ON” by Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend, © 1973 Jobete Music Co., Inc. & Stone Diamond Music Corporation
“LOVE CHILD” by Pam Sawyer, R. Dean Taylor, Frank Wilson and Deke Richards, © 1968 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“(LOVE IS LIKE) A HEATWAVE” by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr., © 1963 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“MAY WHAT HE LIVED FOR LIVE” by Berry Gordy, Esther Gordy Edwards and W. A. Bisson, © 1963 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“MONEY (THAT’S WHAT I WANT)” by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, © 1959 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“THE MOTOWN COMPANY SONG (Hitsville U.S.A.)” by William Robinson, © 1983 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“MY GIRL” by William Robinson and Ronald White, © 1964 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“MY GUY” by William Robinson, © 1964 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“PLEASE MR. POSTMAN” by Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, Robert Bateman, William Garrett and Georgia Dobbins, © 1961 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“POPS, WE LOVE YOU” by Pam Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod, © 1978 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“SHOTGUN” by Autry DeWalt, © 1965 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“TRY IT BABY” by Berry Gordy, © 1964 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“WAR” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, © 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“WAY OVER THERE” by William Robinson and Berry Gordy, © 1960 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“WHAT’S GOING ON” by Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson and Al Cleveland, © 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“YOU ARE YOU” by Berry Gordy, © 1950 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
“YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES” by Berry Gordy and Marv Johnson, © 1957 Jobete Music Co., Inc.
EDWARD B. MARKS MUSIC
Excerpt from “PAPER DOLL” by Johnny Black, © 1915, © 1942 Edward B. Marks Music. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
PENN MUSIC CO., AND EDWIN H. MORRIS & CO., INC.
Excerpt from “WE THREE,” lyrics and music by Dick Robertson, Nelson Cogane and Sammy Mysels © 1939, 1940 Penn Music Co., and Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc., a division of MPL Communications. Copyright renewed 1967, 1968 Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc., a division of MPL Communications. International copyright secured. All rights reserved.
REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION & LENA MUSIC, INC.
Excerpts from “LONELY TEARDROPS” by Berry Gordy, Gwen Gordy and Tyran Carlo, © 1957 Regent Music Corporation & Lena Music
Excerpts from “TO BE LOVED” by Berry Gordy, Gwen Gordy and Tyran Carlo, © 1958 Regent Music Corporation & Lena Music, Inc.
WARNER/CHAPPELL MUSIC, INC.
Excerpt from “FROM THIS MOMENT ON” by Cole Porter © 1950 Cole Porter. Copyright renewed, assigned to Robert H. Montgomery, Trustee of the Cole Porter Musical and Literary Property Trusts, Chappell & Co., Publisher International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Record chart positions courtesy of BILLBOARD and CASH BOX magazines and Joel Whitburn’s and Fred Bronson’s record research publications.
PHOTO CREDITS
PART I
#1 Esther Gordy Edwards
#2 The Esther Gordy Edwards Collection
#3 The Berry Gordy Collection
#4 The Esther Gordy Edwards Collection
PART II
#5 The Berry Gordy Collection
#6 The Berry Gordy Collection
#7 Frank Dandridge
#8 The Berry Gordy Collection
#9 The Berry Gordy Collection
PART III
#10 The Berry Gordy Collection
#11 Robert Gordy, Jr.
#12 Frank Dandridge
PART IV
#13 Robert Gordy, Jr.
#14 Courtesy of MJJ Productions
#15 Mario Escobar
#16 Bruce Talamon
1. On top of my world at nine years old.
2. In this 1938 school picture one thing is clear: my brother Robert (right) was well behaved and studious; I was trouble.
3. Me and my sidekick Billy Davis on the streets of L.A. in 1949 imitating the Nicholas Brothers.
4. The Gordy women were always in charge. Left to right: Esther, Anna, Mother, Gwen and Loucye.
5. The great Lady Day at Detroit’s Flame Show Bar surrounded by me, my brother Robert (left) and friends Mable John and Cecil Alleyne.
6. At a BMI Award Dinner with Mother and Pop, Anna and Jackie Wilson: I don’t know what thrilled me more, winning the award for “Lonely Teardrops” or Mother and Pop beaming at me.
7. Jammin’ with Little Stevie Wonder. Right to left: Brenda Holloway, Georgeanna Tillman, Katherine Anderson, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, Iris Gordy, Wanda Young, Bobby Rogers and me on piano.
8. The very first Supremes were called the Primettes. Left to right: Betty McGlown, Mary Wilson, Diane Ross and Florence Ballard.
9. Christmas at the Graystone Ballroom, 1963. A once-in-a-lifetime performance: (left to right) Diana Ross of the Supremes, Melvin Franklin of the Temptations, our A&R Director, Mickey Stevenson, Smokey Robinson of the Miracles and Wanda Young of the Marvelettes with three of the Four Tops on stage: (left to right) Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Abdul “Duke” Fakir and Lawrence Payton.
10. The Beatles, with Pop, Terry, Berry IV and Hazel.
11. Sweethearts in Las Vegas.
12. In 1963, presenting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with Motown’s recording of his speeches as Lena Horne and jazz musician Billy Taylor look on.
13. At Motown 25, I was surrounded by the lo
ve of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Claudette Robinson, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Richard Pryor and Marvin Gaye.
14. Proud of my protégé.
15. Smokey, a special kind of hero.
16. Pop, my biggest hero.